Newcomers in U.S. Public Schools: A Guide for Educators

Newcomer students—recent arrivals to the United States—often face a whirlwind of challenges as they adjust to a new country, culture, and school system. For educators, the responsibility of supporting these amazing students extends beyond academics. It requires empathy, cultural responsiveness, and a commitment to creating equitable learning opportunities. This blog explores the journey newcomers face, practical strategies for supporting them, and how we can embrace bilingual instruction to help students thrive academically and socially. Please know that this post is not an exhaustive list of the struggles Newcomers face and the strategies that educational institutions must take. Instead, this is a very basic springboard to ongoing work that should most definitely continue as educators receive more diverse students from around the world in their classrooms.

Understanding the Newcomer Experience

Newcomers arrive with a variety of backgrounds, languages, and educational experiences. Some may have interrupted or limited schooling, while others may come with strong academic skills in their home language. However, most share a common thread: the need to adapt to a completely new environment.

Here’s what many newcomers face:

• Language Barriers: Everyday communication, from understanding instructions to making friends, can be overwhelming. From greeting people in a different way than one is used to, to misunderstanding what is being asked in conversation with people, language can truly lead to feelings of frustration for Newcomers.

• Cultural Adjustment: Learning the norms of a new school and community can be confusing, especially when they differ significantly from their home culture. Picture for a moment yourself, as an 11 year old from the U.S. suddenly finding yourself in a middle school in Brazil where Portuguese is spoken. No one looks like you and no one speaks your language. And, most certainly, the school day looks nothing like what you are accustomed to. How might you feel?

• Academic Challenges: Navigating unfamiliar curriculum and teaching styles adds pressure to students still learning the language. Students that come from different countries don't have the same background experiences that native U.S. students have. They may walk into your U.S. history class, for example, and not have a clue of this country's past. Additionally, some students come to the classroom with very different teaching styles used by educators abroad. 

• Emotional Struggles: Separation from family members, feelings of isolation, and anxiety about fitting in are common and very real. Imagine yourself as the 11 year old from the U.S. suddenly in Brazil with your Mom and Dad, having left behind the rest of your family. How might you feel being away from your close knit extended family?

Acknowledging these challenges is the first step in supporting newcomers effectively. However, I would even argue that school practitioners should take it a step further and not only acknowledge these challenges but immediately start thinking about how you will proactively assist newcomers with said challenges. As such, there are specific ways that education staff can take action. Lets delve further into how educators can best support their newcomers.

How Educators and Staff Can Support Newcomers

• General Education Teachers
• Establish a Welcoming Classroom: Display multilingual signs, flags, or visuals that reflect the diversity of your students. Pair newcomers with a buddy who can help them navigate school routines.
• Differentiate Instruction: Use visuals, gestures, and hands-on activities to support understanding. Offer sentence starters and graphic organizers to scaffold writing and speaking tasks.
• Celebrate Their Strengths: Acknowledge and incorporate students’ home languages and cultures into the classroom. This builds confidence and fosters inclusivity.

• English Language Teachers
• Provide Targeted Language Instruction: Focus on both social and academic language development. Teach functional phrases for daily interactions and vocabulary specific to content areas.
• Use Small-Group Instruction: This allows for personalized feedback and a safe space to practice language skills.
• Coordinate with General Education Teachers: Share strategies and tools to ensure consistent support across the day.

• School Support Staff
• Cultural Orientation: Offer newcomers and their families an orientation session to explain school routines, systems, and expectations. Translate materials into their home language.
• Emotional Support: Provide access to counselors or social workers who can help students process the emotional challenges of resettlement.
• Family Engagement: Connect families with interpreters and community resources. Host events that invite families to share their culture and feel part of the school community.

Best Practices for Bilingual Instruction

Research consistently shows that fostering bilingualism benefits students academically and socially. Here are the best practices for instruction that creates bilingual learners:

• Use the Home Language as a Resource: Allow students to use their first language to process information and demonstrate understanding. This supports cognitive development and prevents learning gaps.
• Dual Language Programs: Implement programs where students receive instruction in both English and their home language. These programs not only develop bilingualism but also improve academic achievement across subjects.
• Translanguaging: Encourage students to switch between languages when needed. This approach validates their linguistic repertoire and supports deeper learning.
• Focus on Academic and Social Language: Teach students conversational English for social interactions while also emphasizing the academic language needed for success in school.
• Promote Literacy in Both Languages: Provide reading materials in students’ home languages and encourage families to read and write in their native tongue at home.

Building a Culture of Inclusivity

Creating an environment where newcomers feel valued and supported is a collective effort. Every interaction—whether it’s a teacher adapting a lesson, a counselor offering a listening ear, or a

principal celebrating multilingualism— sends the message that these students belong.

Newcomers bring resilience, diverse perspectives, and cultural richness to our schools. By providing a strong foundation of academic, social, and emotional support, we help them flourish as bilingual, bicultural individuals who enrich our communities. Newcomers are some of the most hard working students I know. They have so many obstacles stacked against them and yet they continue to persist. They face overwhelming hurdles and yet most do so with a grit that is refreshing to see.

Let’s build schools where every newcomer feels seen, heard, and empowered to succeed.

What are some strategies that have worked in your classroom or school to support newcomers? Share your insights and ideas in the comments below!